QUALITY | 8 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
tires read road textures loudly into the interior
Car and Driver
impressive build quality
Edmunds
Sporty front seats and a pervasive feel of quality give the Golf a discernible personality in its class, but it's a little smaller than the boxy body might suggest.
We like the Golf's front bucket seats, in cloth and in the available "leatherette" upholstery. Their adjustments are a little difficult to reach--one's a knob, two are levers, and they're all in different places--but the seats themselves have great shape and support, and they're firm for comfort over long-distance drivers.
The adjustments are fewer in back, and it's here where the Golf doesn't quite measure up to the newest compacts in the class. There's not quite as much rear-seat legroom in the three-door Golf as in the Honda Civic or the Kia Forte, a mild surprise given the Golf's boxy shape, and it can be a chore to clamber in the back. Headroom is quite good, though. The rear seats have adjustable headrests and an armrest, and fold down nearly flat to expand access to the trunk.Volkswagen puts high-quality materials in the Golf's cabin. Visibility is good, too, but the base of the windshield is rather high, a result of European pedestrian collision standards.
Conclusion
It feels solid and well-built, but the Golf's rear seat isn't particularly spacious--especially on three-door models.
